Blessed Assurance

Dear Ones,

Let’s start with a hymn today instead of ending with one: You’ll know it for its beautiful truth runs deep within most souls:

BLESSED ASSSURANCE; JESUS IS MINE.
OH WHAT A FORETASTE OF GLORY DIVINE
HEIR OF SALVATION, PURCHASE OF GOD
BORN OF HIS SPIRIT; WASHED IN HIS BLOOD.
THIS IS MY STORY, THIS IS MY SONG
PRAISING MY SAVIOUR ALL THE DAY LONG
THIS IS MY SAVIOUR; THIS IS MY SONG
PRAISING MY SAVIOUR ALL THE DAY LONG

I was newborn. Cliff Barrows was leading this song before thousands. I looked around to see if others were crying, as was I., JESUS IS MINE? I couldn’t grasp it. I still can’t. By faith I accept it, but now I have years of His faithfulness that cannot be denied. He IS mine, and I AM His.
The wonder increases rather than decreases as I approach the “glory divine”. We haven’t seen anything yet.

Look at those words: We are “heirs” of salvation. Full heirs; nothing to earn; nothing to be scared of for He paid for our salvation in full. His checks don’t bounce from lack of funds. …and His Spirit gave us birth; Babies are bathed in fresh water. We were washed in His very blood…the blood that will never run dry. To our father we are worth every drop of that blood for that is the essence of John 3:16. I Have noted resistance to that truth. In every instance that person speaks of being unworthy and eventually words of debt and masked humility leak through. Eventually joylessness will show itself. …but Jo, won’t that persuasion lead to pride. Yep! The right kind. Pride that is mixed with the wonder of it all (another old song).

…and this is my story; this is my song. That’s why I praise Him…because He loves me so much He measured my worth to Him by every drop of his precious blood.

Tonight I will be with friends outside my home for the first time in nine weeks. We will be loving on and praying for a couple that are starting an entirely new era of their lives. What a blessed time it will be.

Love, Jo.